The Administration again stepped on Congressional toes when it opted not to let lawmakers know early about a planned sale of 36 F-16s to Pakistan. The Administration must give Congress 30 days in which to review the sale, but it is customary to add on another 20 days of pre-formal notification. According to the Congressional newspaper, The Hill, the Pakistan deal frustrates lawmakers on two levels: the abbreviated process and the potential for Pakistan to leak US technology to China. Reuters news service obtained a copy of a letter in which US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has assured lawmakers that Pakistan will sign up to necessary security commitments. That’s one down.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.